The Firsts

These early months have been flooded with Firsts – the first time you giggled, held your head up when lying on your tummy, went in the door bouncer, slept through the night… There are so many, happening in quick succession as your world stretches that bit further every day and you lean away from babyhood towards boyhood.

Recently you started throwing your legs up whilst lying on your back and rolling onto your side, straining your head backwards as you try to look around (you are content with rotating in a circle in this way and haven’t made any attempts to roll over). You have also started stretching forwards when sitting upright and holding onto your toes (while supported). The promise of these Firsts lurk behind each day, waiting somewhere around the corner.

Yesterday you had your First Swim. (We did actually take you to the swimming pool when you were 11 weeks old, but I don’t think it counts as you were only in the water for about 5 minutes in total). Now you are so much more alert and aware of everything, you stared wide-eyed as we walked onto the poolside, taking in the bright lights, the shrieks from splashing children, the activity. You were unsure to begin with, but before long you were smiling at your father, kicking happily like you do in the bath. (Although you did look slightly confused as to why there were so many people in this giant bath).

And two weeks ago you had your First Tastes of pureed food, sitting at the table in your new high chair. We gave you a spoonful of baby rice to see how you would react – you fixed your eyes on the spoon and reached out to grab it, trying to pull it into your mouth. You now eat a range of pureed fruit and vegetables, leaning forward with an open mouth as the spoon hovers in front of you, still trying to swipe the food off the spoon and eat with your fingers. (Your current favourites are avocado, butternut squash and baby porridge). You seem to enjoy food, grinning at us with a spinach moustache or sweet potato beard. You also seem to think that lunchtime is the best time of day to practice the art of raspberry blowing.

Sometimes I try to capture the First before the moment flutters past, to frame the expression or sound or movement by grabbing whichever device is closest to hand. But often it will have passed before I have thought to record it, the memory of it flitting into the depths of my mind. I guess it’s better this way – to simply enjoy the moment for what it is before it has gone. Like the First Cuddle. Usually if you’re lying on my front as I’m sitting on the couch, you push your head up and look around you, or try to dig your head into my armpit. A few days ago I held you to me and you just rested your head on my chest, lying still while I stroked the soft downy hair on your head. How lovely, I thought, and the very next second you wriggled around and blew a raspberry on my shoulder.